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I've perform rhinoplasty on kites. I use an outside layer of 3.9 oz Dacron, but I always put a layer of Kevlar inside.The Kevlar folds over/along the top and protects the Dacron from the 3 spars (with end caps). I use DS tape to hold the Kevlar to the Dacron, with more DS tape on the front (and a couple of smaller pieces of on the back side (not covering the spine 'slot')) of the sail - then the whole thing gets sewn together.

Take out the rod and push the fibers back together. Load it up with superglue and spray with an accelerator to set the superglue immediately. Then fold a dollar bill and put it in the nose and put the rod back.

Works like a charm. I have a kite I repaired that way several years ago and it is still going strong.

Looks like you had cut the webbing to shape, and I notice you didn't extend the stitching all the way to the nose, this allowed the Weft threads to pull right out causing your failure. I would give the Super Glue fix a try, it can work wonders sometimes. If you decide to replace the nose again be sure to sew all the way to the nose with that small of piece, 6,7,8 or more times across to lock those threads into place if your cutting wide webbing to size. It would be better if you could find some strapping with finished edges in the width you need. It's hard to stitch right from the front since getting that bulk to pull under the foot when you start takes some skill and patience and you have to do it half a dozen times. Do put some of the self adhesive kevlar from kitebuilder in there to if you replace it again just for an extra measure of protection.

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Take out the rod and push the fibers back together. Load it up with superglue and spray with an accelerator to set the superglue immediately. Then fold a dollar bill and put it in the nose and put the rod back.

Works like a charm. I have a kite I repaired that way several years ago and it is still going strong.

What Doug said ^

I folded a bit of dacron rather than a dollar bill, darned the webbing back together then soaked with a bit of superglued and it held for years....Right up until the point where the kite hit a rock nose first in very high winds and the front 4" of the sail parted company with the nose BUT the nose survived! (then I just superglued the sail back on )

I have a NikNak that has the same spine thru the nose issue, got it that way. I've been using heavy fabric tape, but it only lasts so long.

Thanks for the help...~Rob.

Look at it this way - with the $ in the nose, you will always have emergency money for tolls, soda or parking.

Actually, the point is to bulk up around the end of the rod so it is harder to push through the webbing. Prism used to use kevlar - not sure if they still do. The dollar bill works well because it is actually a very tight weave cotton fiber and has reinforcing threads running through it for durability.

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